It is well known to construct such tanks using precast panels, e.g., my U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,280,525 and 3,408,784. And it is known to precompress the panels by wrapping wire tendons around their outside surfaces and encasing the wire in a concrete beam surrounding the tank wall, e.g., my U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,015,383 and 4,126,976. Only the precast panels themselves have been precompressed by the wire tendons, not the wire-encasing beams, and thus the panels have been made relatively heavy to provide the required strength to support the contents (e.g., water) of the tank. Furthermore, the panels have generally been specially cast for the particular tank in which used.
A prior-art tank built in Lubbock, Texas, and designed by me uses precast panels that include integral outwardly-protruding portions that when erected form a circular beam surrounding the tank. Prestressing wire is wrapped around the outside of the tank to precompress the panels and integral beam.